14 Oct 2007 - Eastern Delight Thurrock Masters Shine in the East
Thurrock Masters competed at the Inaugural East Swimming, Short Course Masters open competition at Bury St Edmonds, Suffolk, during a gruelling days swimming. These are the East of England championship's involving swimmers from Cambridge, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, although many swimmers compete from all corners of the United Kingdom. Thurrock swimmers produced some excellent results despite being well down on their event best times to bring home to Blackshots 8 Gold, 13 Silver and 4 Bronze medals.
Christine Bearwish swam magnificently in the 50m Free. Bearwish swimming in the 40/44 year age group for Women, hammered down the pool in (33.13) to record a well deserved Bronze medal. Christine was in good form throughout the competition to record further Bronze medal success's in the 100 Free (01:15.52), with the Horndon swimmer recording (01:28.65) In the 100mIM (Individual Medley) a challenge of swimming four lengths one each of Fly, Backstroke, Breaststroke and the Frontcrawl (Free).
28-year-old Kathy Weiss from Grays bought home Gold in the Woman's 25-29 year age group 50m Backstroke event, winning in a time of (39.22). However, in the Freestyle events Kathy showed what a tremendous competitor she is becoming by claiming hard earned Silver for the 50m in a very quick time of (30.60). The Stifford Clays Junior Teacher's weekend was completed with a second individual Silver in a gruelling 200m Freestyle event (2:35.39) and a fine Bronze in the 100m Freestyle (01:07.95) against quality opposition.
Ben Millington-Jones gave another glorious display, swimming in the 25-29 year age group. The Corringham based swimmer picked up Gold medals in the 50 Breast (32.23) and 100 Breaststroke (1:12.34) events; the 29-year old swimming a ridiculously rapid time of (27.82) to record Gold in the 50m Butterfly before storming to a fourth Gold in the 100m Fly, in a time of (1:08.86). M-J then collected a double dose of Silver in the 100 Free (56.75) and the 100m IM (01:04.39). Ben has been training with Alex Morgan?s Platinum and Elite Squads and no doubt the Thurrock head coach will be pleased with the swimmers performances at a time when Ben is coping with the demands of all his additional training. A tired Millington-Jones was very pleased with his contribution to a thoroughly entertaining Sunday in West Suffolk.
Masters Coach Paul Hayes 45 from South Stifford, swimming in the 45-49 year age group was rewarded with Gold's in the 200 Breaststroke (3:14.09), 100 Fly (01.24.09) and 100IM (01:21.24). Hayes managed to round off the championships with Silver in the 200m IM (03:01.51).
Bearwish, Weiss, Hayes and Millington-Jones then combined to claim two terrific Silver medals. The first came in the Mixed 120+, 4 x 25m Individual Medley relay event (01:04.06). An exciting tussle with Halstead and Hadleigh, which saw the Halstead team edge an exciting race with the Thurrock quartet by 3/10?s of a second. The Thurrock four then went on to battle to an impressive Silver medal in the 4 x 25m Freestyle event (01:04.06). Thurrock eventually settled for second place (comfortably edging out Hadleigh again) to the same Halstead quartet, again on a tight finger tip finish. This despite giving a way a few years!
Hayes in his role as meet manager for this inaugural East event was full of praise for his swimmers. Hayes is the current East Regional Masters Manager as well as Essex Masters manager. 'These guys swam their events over three sessions during a tough 8 hour period. Whilst the consensus of opinion was that the pool was fairly slow, it was a tremendous performance from the lads and lasses and I was very proud as meet organiser that the Thurrock team performed so well. Christine, Kathy and Ben are a credit to Thurrock SC and the community and they will be back again to win more medals next year, when I am sure we will have a bigger and stronger squad because amongst others, medal Certs Ray Moore, Dave Blandy and Darren Ford were missing from this years line up due to other commitments.'
A satisfied but tired Thurrock team now return back to training ready for the Essex Masters Championships, being held at Blackshots on April 19th 2008. Aiming to prepare in readiness for another Golden haul of medals. Thurrock Masters train Monday evenings at Ockendon School 7.30 pm till 8-45pm and Friday evenings at Blackshots 9pm - 10pm. Anyone interested to join can visit their website at http://www.thurrockswimmingclub.ik.com.
Christine Bearwish swam magnificently in the 50m Free. Bearwish swimming in the 40/44 year age group for Women, hammered down the pool in (33.13) to record a well deserved Bronze medal. Christine was in good form throughout the competition to record further Bronze medal success's in the 100 Free (01:15.52), with the Horndon swimmer recording (01:28.65) In the 100mIM (Individual Medley) a challenge of swimming four lengths one each of Fly, Backstroke, Breaststroke and the Frontcrawl (Free).
28-year-old Kathy Weiss from Grays bought home Gold in the Woman's 25-29 year age group 50m Backstroke event, winning in a time of (39.22). However, in the Freestyle events Kathy showed what a tremendous competitor she is becoming by claiming hard earned Silver for the 50m in a very quick time of (30.60). The Stifford Clays Junior Teacher's weekend was completed with a second individual Silver in a gruelling 200m Freestyle event (2:35.39) and a fine Bronze in the 100m Freestyle (01:07.95) against quality opposition.
Ben Millington-Jones gave another glorious display, swimming in the 25-29 year age group. The Corringham based swimmer picked up Gold medals in the 50 Breast (32.23) and 100 Breaststroke (1:12.34) events; the 29-year old swimming a ridiculously rapid time of (27.82) to record Gold in the 50m Butterfly before storming to a fourth Gold in the 100m Fly, in a time of (1:08.86). M-J then collected a double dose of Silver in the 100 Free (56.75) and the 100m IM (01:04.39). Ben has been training with Alex Morgan?s Platinum and Elite Squads and no doubt the Thurrock head coach will be pleased with the swimmers performances at a time when Ben is coping with the demands of all his additional training. A tired Millington-Jones was very pleased with his contribution to a thoroughly entertaining Sunday in West Suffolk.
Masters Coach Paul Hayes 45 from South Stifford, swimming in the 45-49 year age group was rewarded with Gold's in the 200 Breaststroke (3:14.09), 100 Fly (01.24.09) and 100IM (01:21.24). Hayes managed to round off the championships with Silver in the 200m IM (03:01.51).
Bearwish, Weiss, Hayes and Millington-Jones then combined to claim two terrific Silver medals. The first came in the Mixed 120+, 4 x 25m Individual Medley relay event (01:04.06). An exciting tussle with Halstead and Hadleigh, which saw the Halstead team edge an exciting race with the Thurrock quartet by 3/10?s of a second. The Thurrock four then went on to battle to an impressive Silver medal in the 4 x 25m Freestyle event (01:04.06). Thurrock eventually settled for second place (comfortably edging out Hadleigh again) to the same Halstead quartet, again on a tight finger tip finish. This despite giving a way a few years!
Hayes in his role as meet manager for this inaugural East event was full of praise for his swimmers. Hayes is the current East Regional Masters Manager as well as Essex Masters manager. 'These guys swam their events over three sessions during a tough 8 hour period. Whilst the consensus of opinion was that the pool was fairly slow, it was a tremendous performance from the lads and lasses and I was very proud as meet organiser that the Thurrock team performed so well. Christine, Kathy and Ben are a credit to Thurrock SC and the community and they will be back again to win more medals next year, when I am sure we will have a bigger and stronger squad because amongst others, medal Certs Ray Moore, Dave Blandy and Darren Ford were missing from this years line up due to other commitments.'
A satisfied but tired Thurrock team now return back to training ready for the Essex Masters Championships, being held at Blackshots on April 19th 2008. Aiming to prepare in readiness for another Golden haul of medals. Thurrock Masters train Monday evenings at Ockendon School 7.30 pm till 8-45pm and Friday evenings at Blackshots 9pm - 10pm. Anyone interested to join can visit their website at http://www.thurrockswimmingclub.ik.com.